Seeing that the recovery model is set to simple and msdn states that the simple recovery model does not support point-in-time recovery - Does this mean that I won't be able to use my transaction log backups to restore the database in a disaster to an hour before it happened?
Even taking a transaction log backup is not supported for databases using the SIMPLE recovery model. This is a restriction of the database engine based on how this recovery model works, and the recovery features it doesn't support, as you mentioned.
A transaction log backup maintenance plan task automatically skips databases in SIMPLE recovery to avoid causing errors.
Which backup should be done first, the database backup or the transaction log backups? Articles that I'm busy reading say I should do the database backup first and then the transaction log backup else I will get maintenance plan errors, but I'm currently first backing up my transaction logs and then data databases and I'm not getting any errors.
For the reasons I mentioned above, it won't matter for databases using SIMPLE recovery, as they will be skipped by the transaction log backup task.
For databases in the other two recovery models, a full backup must exist before you start taking transaction log backups (just the first time), or you will get an error -- this is probably what the articles refer to.
Point-in-time recovery ability is normally driven by business need -- in other words, you determine how critical the data is and how much you can afford to lose, then set the appropriate recovery model to meet those needs, and finally create a backup solution.
Even though SIMPLE recovery does not support point-in-time recovery, if an hour of data loss is okay, perhaps a differential backup solution could work for you. (There are far too many variables that go into developing this kind of solution to give you a complete picture with what was provided in the question.)
No, use simple
Bulk-Logged is a special case of FULL, not an enhanced version of SIMPLE.
- Bulk logged requires log backups otherwise the transaction log grows (as per full). This takes more space.
- Simple does not require log backups: the log will (normally) be cleared by the DB Engine.
Bulk logged with minimally logged operations also requires the data files to be present. Full does not because each row changes is logged. This introduces another complexity.
So use SIMPLE if you can restore to the last full database backup
If you have a nightly load, then using DIFF backups is probably enough to give you extra restore capabilities.
Note, I don't think I've ever used bulk logged recovery since SQL Server 6.5
Best Answer
If you log grows on ETL in simple mode it means your inserts are not minimally logged. The requirements for minimal logging are described in Operations That Can Be Minimally Logged and Prerequisites for Minimal Logging in Bulk Import:
The Data Loading Performance Guide also mentions the TF 610 effects and how it affects minimal logging.